Apparatus for casting pottery ware



E. S. LEA

, APPARATUS FOR CASTING POTTERY WARE Filed Nov, 12 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet l Illlllllll ing... I ill! l5.

nu.. 13,1925. l 1,557,371

` E. S. LEA

APPARATUS FOR CASTING POTTERY WARE Filed Nov.. 12, 19241l v5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E Il' ot.1s,1925. 1,557,371

E. s, LEA I APPARATUS FOR CASTING POTTERY WARE A Filed Nv. y12, 1924 5 sheets-sheet s oct. 13,1925. 1,557,371

E. S. LEA

-APPARATUS FOR CASTING POTTERY Filed Nov. l2, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 HIMIIIIIIIIHIHIN l Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD S. LEA, OFv MORRISVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CARRIER ENGI- NEERING CORPORATION, OF NEWARK,

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION F NEW APPARATUS FOR CASTING POTTERY' WARE.

Application filed November 12, 192,4. Serial No. 749,491.

To all whom. 'it may concern."

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. LEA, a` citizen of the United States, residing at Morrisville, in the county of Bucks and State of Pennsylvania, have` invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Casting lotteryvvWa-re; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as l0 will enable others skilled in the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention lrelates to apparatus for casting pottery ware from slip, more particularly relatively large pieces of sanitary 1.5 Ware, such, for example, as flush tanks,

which are'cast in porous molds *Withwhichf are associated porous cores, the invention contemplating the provisionof one or more matched molds and cores mounted upon a suitable -portable support, preferably a suspension truck, so that the component parts of the complete mold may be assembled for the casting operations, separated for the dryvidualA molds and cores, so'that the latter, when once suitably matched, may be` used continuously until one or the other of the elements has become worn out or damaged to an extent suldcient tov prevent further use. The invention further involves the pivoting of the mold bodies on the trucks on hori- 'zontal axes, so that saidinolds may be swun to vertical position to receive the cores an subsequently moved to inverted vertical position to permit the dumping of the castings, and the suspension of the` cores above the molds, 40, operated by Winches mounted in the frame, the parts being adjustable to secure exact registry of the-cores with the molds, thev Winches serving to raise and lower the cores with respect to the molds and to retain the 15 disengaged cores in suspended relation above the molds during the drying and conditioning operations. p

The apparatus, as a Whole, provides al relatively lsimple, cheap and elicient mech-v :insmfor supporting and operating the elements of the molds, including the `mold bodies and the cores, during the sequential operations of pouring the slip, preliminarily the old hand methods and'operations. v

The invention is illustrated in the accoin- Fig. 3'is`a pla-n view.

preferably by cables, which arev `ing permitted to stand in drying the castings to permit the cores to be pulled, vpulling the cores, dusting the pulled cores, effecting the secondary drying` of the castings in specially conditionedatmospheres to insure a uniform drying of the castings in a minimum of time, the restoration of the normal humidity of the molds, and the final reassembling of the molds and cores for subsequent casting operations, the truck-like supports being moved from station to station as the several operations arev effected, thereby enabling the .maintenance of ideal conditions of heat and humidity and permitting the operations to be carried out unskilled labor and, at the same time, ob-

viating the relatively large losses in the fabrication' of pottery. Ware of this .character by panying drawings, in whichz`- Fig. l is la front elevation of a typical truck having four molds and associated cores permanently mounted thereon. ing and conditioning operationsl without4 25 separating the mold and core elements 4from the truck and Without dissociating the indi-V Y 2 is' a'nend elevation.

Fig. -4 is a section on line 4.-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of' a single in old and core.. a Fig. 6 is a detail viewof one of the clamping plates for the mold and the associated hook forflocki'ng the core in the mold.

-Fig. 7

is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the parts shown. in Fig. 6, .showing the mold andv core in locked position.

Fig. 8 yis a detail view of a supporting bracket for the molds.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 10` is a section on line 10-10 of Fig. i

Fig. 11 is a perspective-view of one of the stop brackets for'limiting the swinging adjustment of the molds.

In the manufacture of pottery ware, more particularly heavysanitary ware, by casting the same from slip, it hasbeen customary to perform the various operationswith singlevsets of associated molds and cores, the molds being set upon benches, the cores dropped into the molds and clamped in posi# tion, the slip poured into the individual molds,` the molds and the icastingsthen bethe casting .position until the slip has takenits preliminary set, to permit the cores to be drawn, after the pulling of the cores, the molds, with the castings therein, being allowed to stand until the castings are sufficiently dried to permit them to be dumped, the dumping operation being manually performed by. inverting the molds and allowing the castings to drop therefrom. These operations being carried out accordingto the best judgment and skill of the kindividual workman,4 resulted in the damaging or impairment of vi'ating practically all of the diiiculties and uncertainties of the former hand casting operations and permits all of the sequence of steps, from the casting of the molds with slip to and including the dumping of the partially dried castings from the molds, under ideal conditions, which results in a saving of labor and time, insures a minimum loss ofcastings due to imperfections andy enables the casting and preliminary conditioning of the ware to be carried out continuously. l

In the particular exemplification of the inventionin the accompanying drawings, apparatusdesigned for the casting of water closet iiush tank bodies is illustrated, but it will be understood that th`e same type ofV apparatus, with necessary obvious changes or modifications, may be employed for the casting. of hollow pottery ware of otherI shapes, sizes and characteristics,without .d e-

parting from the general principles of thev invention.

Referring tothe drawings, 1 indicates a generally rectangular iframe, preferably made of channel bars, with the joints formed by electric welding, the frame being divided longitudinally at its mid section by an I-bar 2, likewise electrically welded'to the frame proper. This rectangular frame constitutes the supporting truck for the molds and cores, anld is supported from an overhead rail by suitable wheeled brackets or trolleys 3, which may be of any preferred form to enable the trucks to be moved from to place in the factory or pottery, as will be understood. Secured to opposite sides of the truck frame and in horizontal alignment thereon are laterally extending brackets, preferably of the configuration shown in Figs.v 8 and 9, the brackets being of general truss formation having an intermediate rib or projection 5 which fits within the channel of the side member of the frame and is seplace 1 curelyl bolted to said side member. The outer ends of the brackets are formed with generally U-shaped recesses 6 to receive open ended journal boxes 7, which are adjusted' vertically in the recesses 6 by means of set screws 8. Secured to the central ,member 2 of the truck member and in axial alignment With the brackets 4-4 is a bracket 4',

generally similar to the brackets 4 except' that the bearing recesses 6 in the ends thereof are not necessarily provided with adjustselves, constitute journal bearings, and are extended laterally on both sides of the center Y`able journal boxes, but said recesses, in themprojectionadapted to it in the channel of the side member of the; frame 1 and'tobe bolted to said side member, each of said brackets having a suitable adjustable lstop or set screw 12 mounted in the end thereof,

said brackets-constituting the stops or abut-v ments to limit the swinging movement of the molds to charging and discharging position and to insure the longitudinal axes of the molds being vertical in both positions of the latter. A

' The mold proper, designated by reference numeral 15,- is made of plaster of Paris, or similar absorbent material, and may, if desired, be of the standard form commonly employed in casting similar pieces of pottery ware by hand.y In the particular form of mold illustrated,for casting flush tanks,`the interior of the mold is formed to the exact configuration of the exterior of the cast tank. Itis highly desirable that the entire exterior of the mold body 15 be exposed to the atmosphere 1o facilitate uniform drying of the casting in the mold and in order to obstruct as little of the.

exterior surface of the mold as possible, a

` special form of support for pivotallymounting-the individual moldson the truck is provided, said support comprising two skeletonized frames 17 adapted to engage the lateral faces of the mold in restricted arears of contact, saidframes being 'secured and clamped to the mold by means of four reticulated and offset from the body of the mold and two penwork side sections 18, lthe inner faces of which conform to and bear held against movement relatively to the mold by lugs 19, which -engage correspondagainst the outer, surface of the mold, .the j frame being properly positioned on .and

ingly shaped recesses 19 formed in the body of the mold, as illustrated in Figs. 6` and 7. Preferably formed integrally with each `of the frames 17 and centered thereon is a @l pintle or journal 20, which engages the aligned bearings in they respectivebrackets 4 and 4i carried by the vertical'members of the truck frame. ln order to' compensate for any departure from true alignment of the pintles on opposite sides of the mold supporting frame, the adjustable journal box 7 of the bracket 4 is provided. Projecting from the upper marginal edge of each of the side frames 17 is a bracket-like i in the space between the corresponding faces of the frame and the body of the mold are cam hooks 24, which areadapted to lock the core to the mold, as will be hereinafter explained. p

Secured to the upper horizontal bar of `the truck frame 1 are brackets 30, one

mounted at approximately each end of the top bar and the other at the middle of said bar, the brackets extending beyond the :front and rear of the frame, each bracket havingformed in its foraard portion a slot 31 in which is slidably and adjustably mounted a U-shaped shackle 32. p brackets 30 by the shackles 32 are shafts 33, each shaft carrying a pair of pulleys 34 which are adjustable longitudinally of devices.

is a cable in its free end, and its other end securednto a special type of winch or winding mechanism. Each winch comprises a barrel portion 37, preferably formed as a section'y of metal pipe, journaled in one side bar and the .intermediate bar ot the truck frame 1. The end of each cable 35 is secured to the corresponding end of its winch by. a special Engaging each of the pulley's34 form of adjustable clamp 38, comprising a` split collar having interior grooves on one face to clamp the end of the ,cable fi'rn'ily between the parts of the collar, the collar being locked to the barrel 37 of the winch by bolts 38. ln order to adjust the length ot a given cable, it is necessary only to euse ott the nuts of bolts 38 slightly, to permit the clamping collar to be rotated on the barrel 37 by tapping the collar with a hammer or the like, and after the adjustment has been effected, the bolts 38 are again sel' up to lirml yclamp-the collar in position. Each Wincll barrel is provided with a ratchet 39 having a hub which slips over the end of the barrel and is keyed thereto Locked to the or other suitable.-

35 having an eye or loop 36 formed of valved supply pipes., at a definite by a' pin l40 whichthrough the barrel and also constitutes means for engaging the slotted end of a removable crank by which the winch is rotated. In order to lock the ratchets 39, av simple form of loose paWl 41 is dropped between the outer face of the ratchet and the bottom of the channel iron forming the vertical side member of the framev1,'as illustrated-in- Figs. 1 and 2, the pawl being lifted readily by the operator to disengage the ratchet, when the corresponding winch is to be operated to pay 0H the cables 35.

made of plaster of Paris, or similar absorb# ent material, and, in the type of machine illustrated, are fashioned to formthe interior of. a flush tank, the particular core being standard for this specific typeA of work. The core is hollow and, when assembled with the mold 15, provides a maximum surface for the evaporation of water absorbed from the'casting. The upper portion of each core is a relatively heavy flange surrounding the core and serving' as the seat for engaging the upper rim of the mold. The' individual* cores 50 are suspended from the corresponding pairs of cables 35,1which run over the pulleys 34, the connection between the core and the pulley being eli'ected by a rod 51 running transversely throughthe'top ange section of the core, which lis provided with aligned openings52 to receive the rod, the ends of which latter project beyondthe sides oil? the core and are on the ends of ,the cables, said rod also afyfording.abutments to be engaged b hooks -I24fto lock the core to the mo d, as illustrated j intFig. 5 and in dotted' lines in ljyig. 2. Preferably the outer portions of the openings 52 in the core, which receive the rod 51, are chamfered or -counter'sunk so that -any bending strains on the projecting ends of the rod lwill not'tend to split the friable vmaterial of the core adjacent -the holes 52.

the

passes diametrically I 'llhe cores 50, like the mold bodies, arei engaged by the loops 36 .10

While the apparatus asdescribed is adapted to the hand pouring of the slip, it lends itself with particular facility and economy to the simultaneous pouring of the slip into the -several molds by a special constructionstation, as described 1n my co ending application, Serial No; 749,490, led of even date herewith, in which the same type of carriage is morev or. less l diagrammatlcally illustrated as a component of the plant and the methodof casting, as described and claimed in said application aforesaid.

From' the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the mold bodies and cores Imay be readily assembled in proper relation on the supporting trucks by unskilled labor, as

the adjustments are few and simple, involvl ing the leveling of the trunnions 20 to bring pouring the tops ofthe molds in the horizontal position and the longitudinal axis. in exact vertical relation, the leveling being effected by adjusting the single journal box 7 by means of the set screw 8, as explained. The maintenance of the molds in proper vertical position in both the charging and dumping relations is effected by the adjustable set screws 12 in the ends of the brackets 10. In order to hold thevmolds in vertical position during the pouring, drying and dumping operations, the springs 2,8 are provided, the latter j being fastened to the side members of the truck frame 28, all of said springs having eyes or hooks at their ends to be'engaged over the laterally projecting pins 22 on the outer supporting frame of the mold.

A special advantage of this structural form of mold supporting truck, is that it may be made u of stock forms of channel irons and relatively rough castings which require no special machining, except in the parts which are in rubbing engagement, as, for example, the journals, bearings andthe faces of the pulleys. The trucks being suspended# from overhead trackways may be moved from point to point in the pottery, where the various operations-may be performed by unskilled laborv with the assurance of a minimum of defective castings, by reason of the fact tliatthe initially matched moldsand cores are never dissociated until one or the other is damaged beyond repair and, when the4 associated molds and cores have been properly adjusted on the trucks, derangement of the adjustment is practically impossible, but,` When readju'stment is found necessary, it may be effected quickly and at a minimum of effort and expense, both in respect of the adjustment 'of the Imolds and the adjustment ofthe cores relatively to the latter.

What I claim is: 1. A paratus forecasting pottery Ware from slip comprising a portable support, a

'l mold pivoted thereon forv rotary movement from charging to dumping position, and a core suspended on said support above the mold and adapted to be moved into and out 3.' Apparatus for casting pottery 4ware from slip comprising a portable support, a mold journaled on a horizontal axis in said support, means to retain the mold vertical inV4 chargingand dumping positions, and a core suspended on said support above the mold and adapted to be moved into and out of cooperative engagement With the latter.`

4. Apparatus for casting pottery Ware from slip comprising a portable support, a mold pivoted thereon for rotary movement from charging .to dumping position, means for adjusting the -axis of rotation, and a core suspended on said support above the mold and adapted'to be moved into and out of cooperative engagement with the latter. i

5. Apparatus for castingA pottery Ware from slip 'comprising a portable support, a mold pivoted thereon for rotary movement from charging to dumping position, means for adjusting the axis of rotation, a core suspended on said support: above the mold and adapted to be moved into and out of cooperative engagement with the latter, and means for locking the core to the mold.

6. Apparatus for casting pottery ware comprising a truck, a mold pivoted on a horizontal axis on said truck, and a core Suspended on said truck and adapted to be moved by the suspending means into and out of cooperative engagement with the mold.

7. Apparatus for casting pottery ware from slip comprising a portable support, a

mold pvoted thereon for rotary movement from charging to dumping position, a core cooperating with said mold, and means connecting the core with the support for raising and lowering the core relatively to tlie mold.

8 Apparatus for casting pottery -ivare from slip comprising a portable support, a mold pivoted thereon for rotar movement from charging to dumping posltion, a. core cooperating with' said mold, cables for suspending the core vertically above the opening in the mold, and means for operating the cables to lower and lift the core relatively to the mold. j

9. Apparatus for' casting pottery ware from sli comprising a truck including a substantially rectangular `frame having a Wheeled suspension from an overhead track- Way, laterally extending brackets from the side bars 'of said frame having relatively adjustable journal bearings, a mold having aligned lateral journals enga 'ng said bearings, laterally extending brac ets at the top of said frame, a shaft secured to said brackets and adjustable longitudinally ot the latter, ulleys rotatable on and adjustable longitu inal y on said shaft, cables operating over said pulleys, means on the frames for actuating the cables, and a core suspended from the free ends of said cables.

10. Apparatus for casting pottery ware from slip comprising-a truck including a substantially rectangular frame having a wheeled suspension from an overhead tracklll) aannam way, laterally extending brackets from the side bars of said :trame having relatively adjustable journal bearings, a mold having aligned late-ral journals engaging said bearings, laterally extending brackets at the top et' said "iframe, a shaft Secured to said brackets and adjustable longitudinally of the latter, pulleys rotatable on and adjustable longitudinally of said shaft, cables operating over said pulleys, means on the frame tor actuating the said pended from the free ends of said cables, and means for locking the core to the mold when said parts are in charging position.

ll. Apparatus for casting pottery ware from slip comprising a truck including a substantially rectangular frame having a wheeled suspension from an overhead trackway, laterally extending brackets from the side bars oi' said frame having relatively adjustable journal bearings, a mold having aligned lateral journals engaging said bearings, laterally extending brackets at the top of said frame, 'a shaft secured to said brackets and adjustable longitudinally of the latter, pulleys rota-table onand adjustable longitudinally of said shaft, cables operating.

over said pulleys, winch mechanism on the frame for actuatmg the cables, and a core suspended from the free ends of said cables.

l2. Apparatus for casting pottery -ware from slip comprising a hollow mold of porous material, and means for pivotally supporting said mold on a horizontal axis, including skeleton frames engaging the ends of the mold in restricted areas and provided with lateral journals, and tie rods connecting said frames.

13. Apparatus for casting pottery ware from slip comprising a hollow mold of porous material, and means for pivotally supporting said mold on a horizontal axis, including skeleton frames engagin the ends ot the mold in restricted areas an provided with lateral journals, said frames having lugs thereon engaging holes in the body of the mold, and tie rods connecting said frames.l

cables, a core sus.

SLB

to the mold, means for supporting the mold on said journalsto permit rotation of the mold from` charging to dumping position, and means :tor engaging and disengaging the core and mold and for suspending the core above the mold.

l5., Apparatus for casting pottery ware from slip comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a series of molds pivotally mounted for rotation on horizontal axes on opposite sides of the frame,'a corresponding series' of cores adjustably suspended from said frame to register with said molds, and means for operating the suspending means to engage and disengage the cores and the molds.

16. Apparatus for casting pottery ware from slip comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a series of molds pivotally mounted for rotation on horizontal axes on opposite sides of the frame, a corresponding series of cores, cables suspending the cores from the frame to registerwith the molds, and Winches mounted on the trame for operating the cables to engage and disengage the cores and molds. l

17. Apparatus orycasting pottery ware from slip comprising a substantially rectangular trame, a series of molds pivotally mounted for rotation on horizontal axes on opposite sides of the frame, means for leveling the molds, a corresponding series of cores, cables suspending the cores from the frame to register with the molds, and Winches mounted on the frame for operating the cables to engage and disengage' the cores and molds. Y

18. Apparatus for casting pottery ware `from slip comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a series of molds pivotally mounted forrotation on horizontal axes on opposite sides of the frame, means for leveling the molds, vstops on the frame for arresting the molds in vertical relation in charging and dumping positions, a corresponding series of cores, shafts mounted adjacent the top and transversely oit' the frame and adjustable toward and from theyframe, pulleys journaled on and adjustable longitudinally of the shafts, cables running over thev pulleys and engaging opposite sides of the corresponding cores, and Winches mounted on the pame for operating the cables to engage and U0 dlsengage the cores and molds.

lin testimony whereof l alix my signature.

EDWARD s. Lua.

lll. Apparatus for casting pottery ware :trom slipl comprising a hollow mold of porous material, skeleton frames provided with journals engaging the ends of the molds, tie rods connecting said frames and clamping the same to the mold, a core cooperating with said hollow mold, a rod assing through the top part of the core, hoo s on said frame to engage the ends of the rod to lock the core 

